Good Ground

Did you know in Southampton's history....

As a part of our 375th Southampton celebration please take a moment to enjoy
our weekly historical facts you may not have known about Southampton.

Hercules:

For decades the figure head of Hercules from the USS Ohio sat on Montauk Highway, across the street from the Canoe Place Inn. The hand carved statue weighed one and a half tons and stood eight foot high. It was carved in 1820, retired in 1880 and procured by Julius Keller when he purchased the Inn. It was believed that if you kissed Hercules you would soon find your life’s love. Hercules currently resides in Stony Brook.

Shinnecock Canal & Locks:

The Shinnecock Canal is New York State’s first saltwater canal. It connects Shinnecock and Peconic bays. The canal was originally the site of a Native American portage that pre-dated the settlement of Southampton Town. The canal appears on a State survey as early as 1826. After numerous attempts to open the canal, New York State started construction of the canal in 1884 and finished eight years later in 1892. In 1919 the lock system was added to address the difference in tide levels between the two bays and to prevent the stagnation of water in Shinnecock Bay.